William Mickle
by George J. Dance William Julius Mickle (1735-1788) was a Scottish poet."Biographical Information," Selected Poetry of William Mickle (1735-1788), Representative Poetry Online, University of Toronto, UToronto.ca, Web, Dec. 6, 2011. Life Overview Mickle was the son of the minister of Langholm, Dumfriesshire. He was for some time a brewer in Edinburgh, but failed. He went to Oxford, where he was corrector for the Clarendon Press. After various literary failures and minor successes he produced his translation of the Lusiad, from the Portuguese of Camões, which brought him both fame and money. In 1777 he went to Portugal, where he was received with distinction. In 1784 he published''.the ballad of "Cumnor Hall," which suggested to Scott the writing of ''Kenilworth. He may be best remembered, however, by the beautiful lyric, "There's nae luck aboot the Hoose," which, although claimed by others, is almost certainly his.John William Cousin, "Mickle, William Julius," A Short Biographical Dictionary of English Literature. London: Dent / New York: Dutton, 1910, 268. Wikisource, Web, Feb. 13, 2018. Youth and education Mickle was the son of Alexander and Julian Meikle. His father was the minister of Langholm, Dumfriesshire. He was educated at the grammar school in Langholm, and at high school in Edinburgh until 1750. As a boy Mickle was an avid reader of Edmund Spenser, and in his teens wrote 2 tragedies and half of an epic poem (all of which he later burnt).Thomas Campbell, William Julius Mickle, in Specimens of the British Poets, 1819. English Poetry 1579-1830, Virginia Institute of Technology. Web, Feb. 3, 2013. Career His father bought a brewery, and William went to work there at 15. He inherited the business when his father died, but it later went bankrupt. Mickle moved to London in 1763, and found employment as a corrector (proofreader) with the Clarendon Press."Biography of William Mickle," PoemHunter, Web, Dec. 6, 2011. He published his first poem, "The Concubine," in 1765. In 1775 he found fame for his translation of The Lusiads by Portuguese poet Luis de Camões. He visited Lisbon in 1779, and was feted and given a public reception by the King of Portugal. In 1781 he married (on June 3) Mary Tomkins, and settled in Wheatley (near Oxford. Writing Mickle's poetry was admired by Sir Walter Scott, who remarked that Mickle "with a vein of great facility, united a power of verbal melody, which might have been envied by bards of much greater renown"Robert Chambers, William Julius Mickle," Cyclopedia of English Literature, 1840, II, 70-71. English Poetry 1579-1830, Virginia University of Technology. Web, Feb. 3, 2013. Recognition Mickle was made a member of the Royal Academy of Lisbon in May 1780.Richard Alfred Davenport, "William Julius Mickle," in Chiswick British Poets (1822), 66:7-26. English Poetry 1579-1830, Virginia Institute of Technology. Web, Feb. 3, 2013. Publications Poetry *''Providence; or, Arandus and Emilee: A poem''. London: T. Becket & P.A. de Hondt, 1762. *''Pollio: An elegaic ode. Oxford, UK: Clarendon Press, 1766. *The Concubine: A poem in two cantos, in the manner of Spenser. Oxford, UK: Daniel Prince, 1767 **also published as ''Sir Martyn: A poem, in the manner of Spenser. London: Flexney / Evans / Bew, 1777. *''Almada Hill: An epistle from Lisbon. Oxford, UK: W. Jackson, for J. Bew, London, et al, 1781. *''The Prophecy of Queen Emma: An ancient ballad (as "Julianus Turgotus"). London: J. Bew, 1782. *''Poems, and a tragedy'' (edited by John Ireland). London: A. Paris, for J. Egerton / Oxford, UK: Fletcher & Hanwel, 1794. *''Poetical Works.'' London: C. Cooke (Cooke' edition, 1799. *''Poetical Works'' (edited by John Sim). London: J. Barfield, for W.D. Symonds, 1806. *''The Poems of Mickle and Smollet'' (with Tobias Smollett). Chiswick, UK: Press of C. Whittingham, 1822. *''Glimpses of the Past: Extracts from the poetical works. Berlin, ON: 1877. Non-fiction *''A Letter to Dr. Harwood. London: J. & F. Rivington / D. Prince, Oxford / Palmer & Becket, Bristol, 1768. *''Voltaire in the Shades; or, Dialogues on the deistical controversy''. London: G. Pearch / T. & J. Merril, Cambridge / D. Prince, Oxford, 1770. *''A Candid Examination of the Reasons for Eepriving the East-India Company of its Charter''. London: J. Bew & J. Sewell, 1779. Translated *Luis de Camões, The Lusiad; or The discovery of India: An epic poem translated from the Portuguese. Oxford, UK: Jackson & Lane, 1776; London: G. Bell & Sons, 1877. Volume I, Volume II Anthologized * Old Ballads, (edited by Thomas Evans). 2nd edition. London: T. Evans, 1784.Notes to William Mickle, "Cumnor Hall," , Representative Poetry Online, University of Toronto, UToronto.ca, Web, Dec. 6, 2011. Except where noted, bibliographical information courtesy WorldCat.Search results = au:William Mickle, WorldCat, OCLC Online Computer Library Center Inc. Web, Aug. 20, 2016. See also * List of British poets References External links ;Poems * Selected Poetry of William Mickle (1735-1788) (2 poems) at Representative Poetry Online. * William Mickle at PoemHunter (2 poems) *Willliam Mickle at Poetry Nook (2 poems) *William Julius Mickle info & 7 poems at English Poetry, 1579-1830 ;About *Mickle, William Julius in the Dictionary of National Biography Category:1735 births Category:1788 deaths Category:18th-century poets Category:English-language poets Category:Poets Category:Scottish poets Category:Translators to English Category:Scots-language poets